Flowers for the Women Wearing Veils - Volume II — Page 89
89 Address to Lajna Ima’illah Quetta Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra July 31, 1950 “From the time of creation , there has been a partnership between men and women. Both have been given responsibilities; regarding which religious books have long debated. The Bible says that women have been created so men are not lonely in heaven. The Holy Qur’an tells us that the purpos e of the creation of women is for both men and women to abide together in Heaven, and that the law of God is maintained in the world. The difference between these two objectives is like day and night. The objective which the Holy Qur’an presents on the creation of mankind is an extremely grand one. In this world , men and wom en work together and no new foundation can be established until men and women work together. If women are weak, then the propagation of religion cannot be spread by men alone. If men are weak , then the work of religion cannot be performed by women alone. It is f or this reason that the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa included women in religious education. From the beginning to the end, both are mentioned regarding responsibilities and rewards. But regretfully , this has changed significantly in the latter days. In the beginning, women served Islam and the importance of service was impressed upon them to the extent that they used to participate in j ihad. They were knowledgeable of all tactics of warfare. They [women] wanted to benefit from each word spoken by the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa. In the interest of their country, they would ignore thei r personal feelings. They would relinquish their personal interests for the sake of national responsibi li ties. However, to d ay , this sentiment is non - existent. ” Ha z rat Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra said : “The precarious era in which Musl ims are currently passing through c ould not possibly have been imagined four to five hundred years ago. If a map could be drawn to show how far the Muslim world had once spread, and what their existing situation is; what knowledge the previous Muslim world held , and what it is at present; then every wise woman and